A Penny Earned . . .

Incomes Bigger, But So Are Savings

WASHINGTON — Consumer incomes rose for a fourth consecutive month in September, the Commerce Department said Monday, but spending increased only slightly as more of the extra money went into savings.

Total income from all sources rose 0.4 percent following a revised 0.1 percent increase in August. Spending was up 0.2 percent to a rate of $4.92 trillion after a much stronger revised 0.8 percent August rise.

Most of the gain in September incomes came from higher wages and salaries.

Savings rose in September to 4.2 cents out of each dollar earned from 4 cents in August. Previously, the department said August incomes were flat and that spending had increased 1 percent.

Spending on durable goods, which includes cars, fell in September to an annual rate of $635.4 billion from $644.5 billion in August.

But spending on non-durable products was up slightly to a rate of $1.45 trillion, while spending for services gained to $2.83 trillion in September from $2.82 trillion.